The Writer and the Witch
Chapter 8
The Swan Sisters - Some History
Summary: Bella, along with Alice and Rosalie, have moved from their home town of Salem, MA to Houston Texas, have bought a new home, and are starting new businesses - both for money and for fun. Edward Cullen, the Writer, was raised in the house the trio of sisters have purchased. Wonder what mischief they can manage to get themselves into?
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer started it all for us. What the characters do here, is all mine.
My undying thanks to my Beta JoanOfArt; buggins74, AnakinsRealMom, and Gabby1017 who pre-read for me. Wouldn't be able to do this without you! I have a great team helping me bring this weirdness.
The Writer and the Witch
Chapter 8
The Swan Sisters - Some History
~o0o~
Previously:
Salem, MA 1692
"Thou, Isabella Swan are an evil woman and accused of Witchery!"
Bella was standing in front of Rev. Samuel Parris, being accused of bewitching several of the young girls that were within a few feet of her. They were terrified of her and leaned as far back from her as they possibly could, fearing she would cast a spell turning them into the devil's handmaidens.
Chuckling to herself Bella thought, If they only knew the truth. It wasn't the girls I bewitched, but the town's menfolk! These simpering girls should be turned into toads if it were possible!
Vehemently denying the allegation, "Where is thy proof that I am a Witch? Who accuses me?" Bella asked the Reverend.
Those accusing her cannot give solid enough proof to the Reverend. No one actually witnessed her bewitching anyone. All they had to go on was a feeling and that they did not like the accused. She was not a respectful young woman, as was fitting for one to be. It seemed also that Bella had set her cap towards all the young men in the village.
"Jealously, disliking someone and a feeling about them is not proof," the Reverend was forced to admit. "However, you have been seen in the company of John Alden in an unseemly manner. It was rumored that thou hath bewitched John Alden into having unmarried sexual relations. You have been seen with him kissing thee behind the meeting house on several occasions."
John Alden was immediately called to come testify. He was found and brought before the Reverend to testified, "I will have no part in any of the insanity that has gripped the village of Salem, and Bella Swan has in no way used witchery on my person!" Then he stormed from the meeting house.
Reverend Parris cleared his throat then stood. "We have been here for hours and none of you have been able to give any substantial testimony to the guilt of Miss Bella Swan," sighing heavily he spoke again. "It is my ruling that she is indeed not a Witch. You are free to leave Miss Swan, and I hope to see you again this Sunday for meeting."
Smiling, Bella all but ran from the building and into the arms of her two sisters, who were crying for fear that they'd never see Bella again alive.
As Alice hugged Bella she hissed into her ear, "This is what happens when you are not careful about the spells you cast!"
Rosalie added whispering, "Now we'll have to leave Salem and find ourselves another home somewhere. How could you do it Bella?"
Scoffing, Bella answered in a low whisper. "Can't this wait until we are in our house, behind closed doors?"
Minutes later they entered their house, locked the only two doors the house had and closed the shutters tightly. They pulled heavy curtains across the window. Once that was done, Rosalie pushed the kettle over the hearth fire and waited for the water to begin to boil. Meanwhile, Alice brought the tea pot and loose tea leaves from the food preparation area.
"Bella why on earth did you bewitch John Alden? Were thee that desperate?" Alice asks.
Bella laughed. "Actually sisters of mine, I did not cast a spell, he came to me of his own free will. He was seen by that nosy good-wife Selsby and assumed that John would not have come to me any other way than if not by witchery.
"I should have cast for that damned preacher Parris. I bet his wee cock would make it's presence known," Bella laughed loudly.
"Bella you must swear to us that you'll not do casting-magic ever again until we leave this village." Alice pleaded. "We could have lost you and I could not bear if it were so. Please sister, promise me. Swear to me. Please I beg you." Alice had tears streaming down her face.
Bella couldn't stand to see her sister so upset. "Yes, Alice. I swear. I shall not cast spells until we three have discussed the matter."
For a period of time, the three sisters sat on stools placed in front of the wide fireplace.
Rosalie was a seer and as she gazed into the flames a vision began to take hold of her. She sees herself and two others she thinks are her sisters, walking behind a covered wagon heading into the West. She foresees nothing appearing to be dangerous, other than meeting up with a couple of other wagons heading in the same direction. The scene then changed and there is fire all about them. They had been asleep in their wagon and somehow it's caught on fire. They manage to get out of their wagon, but those they had been traveling with don't seem to have been as lucky. Indians had attacked the small wagon train.
Bella quickly cast a spell that rendered the sisters invisible and they escape the scene of the burning four wagons.
This vision proved to be a true one.
The sisters escaped into the forest, where they were unseen by white men for the next one hundred fifty years.
There were rumors of three very powerful witches who lived with different Indian tribes over the years, always moving west. They were revered by the Indian tribes and protected by them all. When it became apparent to the sisters that that way of life was at an end, they moved on to the boom towns of California.
Thus they missed involvement in the American Civil War.
~o0o~
Eventually, the sisters came to San Francisco in the late 1800's. There, they boarded a ship that took them to Hawaii as governesses to a family with six children, whose father was a preacher going to Hawaii to save the natives there.
True, it was a risk being in the employ of a hell and damnation preacher, but the sisters actually enjoyed the challenge of living on the edge. Their abilities were strong enough to protect them from being killed; they had become immortal.
It was on the "big island" that Bella first saw a house called The Shipman House. Bella fell in love with its design and would always remember it as her dream house. This house was designed by Henry Livingston Kerr.
They stayed in Hawaii only a couple of years, and eventually became bored, so they took a ship back to the western coast of the United States, and then they found themselves going back to Salem. That became home to them again, until it wasn't anymore. They began to cast around for new surroundings and decided upon Houston, Texas as their new home. They each had developed practical skills that would make them appear to be hard working business women.
Alice could make anything grow by just her presence nearby. Bella could make any potion, medicine, or beauty product from the flowers and herbs that Alice could grow, and Rosalie was a real seer and made very good money telling fortunes and giving out tips on the stock markets.
The sisters had become independently wealthy in the 300 years or so that had passed since they'd fled Salem all those years ago. Now they set their sights on the huge sprawling city of Houston, Texas where the memory of the Shipman House that Bella had so admired drew her to the Masen House. She'd seen it in one of the many books their realtor had shown them; that sealed the deal. They put Mr. Mike Newton in charge of inquiring about it.
The sisters made the decision to stipulate in the contact that it was lease to own until they decided for sure this was the house they wanted to live in for as long as they were in Houston.
Rosalie had seen that this house would bring both joy and sadness, but that it would be worth it in the long run.
All the papers were signed. New furniture was purchased, the store front leased, materials to build their greenhouses and new vehicles were waiting for them in Houston.
Thus the sisters found themselves beginning a new phase of their very long lives.
~o0o~
Please Note: I need to give credit to one of my dearest friends and one of my pre-readers for suggesting to me that I start the Swan sisters off in Salem in the 1600s. That opened up more possibilities, some of which you've just read. Trust me, there's more coming too. Thank you Gabby.